


Bellicose

by rosenkrone (orphan_account)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-30
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-25 01:39:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/947096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/rosenkrone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The moment he closed the door, he was greeted by Hanji's enthusiastic voice and a statement he had hoped never to hear again.  AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt floating around tumblr where an older! Armin and Annie are paired up to train the new soldiers and they don't always see eye to eye and it leads to fights and ust and possibly other things.
> 
> I've got quite a few ideas about where I want to take this, though I can't promise quick updates.

Walking into Hanji's office almost always lead to some form of chaos. Considering this was Hanji, there really was no way around it. Armin steeled himself before the door, taking a deep breath and quickly walking into the room to deliver various paperwork. The moment he closed the door, he was greeted by Hanji's enthusiastic voice and a statement he had hoped never to hear again.

 

"We're going to need you to help out Leonhardt."

 

It was a miracle that he managed to hold on to the paperwork in his hands. Armin stared at Hanji as he carefully placed the stack of papers on her desk before taking a seat in a nearby chair. "Is it that time of year already?"

 

Hanji grinned, practically bouncing as she walked to his side and locked her arm around his neck. "You should be more excited! We can't let that genius of yours rot away in an office all day." Armin turned to her with a sigh and Hanji ruffled his hair. "You'll do fine. You seem to be one of the few that are actually able to walk away afterward."

 

"You do realize that she hates me, right?" A shudder ran through Armin as he recalled their last assignment together. Although he made every effort to stay in shape and keep on top of the various training regimens, working with a certain officer would always prove to be a challenge.

 

Hanji was hardly phased by the argument. "You just need to know how to handle her. Our Annie is like a cat. You can't make any sudden movements or she's bound to attack."

 

Armin paused, unsure of how to even respond to that comment. Especially considering the many times he had witnessed Hanji practically tackling the smaller girl in an effort to give her a hug on the rare occasions she even entered the main building.

 

Standing, Hanji turned to face Armin. "I won't make you do this if you're really against it, but I just want you to keep something in mind." Tears began to well up in her eyes and she sighed dramatically. "I honestly didn't want to use this if I didn't have to." Hanji leaned forward, arms placed on either side of Armin. "Do it for Bean."

 

"Bean."

 

"It hurts to even think about, doesn't it?" Hanji's voice began to waver. "Bean is the only other person I could possibly spare at this time. And I would hate to send the little guy out there completely unprepared."

 

Hanji's eyes were boring into his and Armin found himself unable to look away. As much as he hated having to assist with the new recruits, he had to admit that it did make for a nice change of pace at times. While Annie was difficult on the best of days, he did have a few tricks up his sleeve when it came to dealing with her. He gave Hanji a resigned smile. "I wouldn't dream of sacrificing Bean to save myself."

 

"I knew you would understand!" The sudden hug nearly ended up toppling the chair over and Armin quickly braced himself, patting Hanji's back as she sniffled and promised him that Bean would surely have something amazing for him upon his return.

 

"Just try not to blow anything up while I'm gone."

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

Annie tended to avoid the main building as much as possible but she knew that failing to show up in Hanji's office would only lead to unspeakable things. It was best to just arrive as quickly as possible and endure whatever orders were no doubt coming her way. It most likely had something to do with the new recruits, which was expected, but one could never be too sure when Hanji was involved. As she made her way to the office, Annie attempted to scan the area to spot Hanji before the other woman saw her. She would never understand how someone so loud always managed to sneak up on her.

 

A muffled curse escaped as someone forcefully wrapped their arms around her from behind. Her whole body stiffened as soon as the contact was made. The resounding laughter made her skin crawl and Annie fought the urge to elbow the other woman as hard as possible in order to escape. Unfortunately, she had learned the hard way that that specific course of action only served to make Hanji even more unbearable and she bit her lip in an effort to keep herself in check.

 

"Just the person I was looking for." Hanji's grip tightened around her and she firmly lead Annie to her office, humming happily the whole way.

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

Once she was in the office, Annie refused to sit. There was no way she could even begin to relax when forced in an enclosed space with the one person who insisted that a hug each day would certainly improve her demeanor. She tried to keep her back near the door and her eyes on Hanji as the other woman seated herself behind the desk.

 

"I'm sure you know why you're here today."

 

Hanji placed her elbows on the edge of the desk, clasping her hands together and leaning forward. In this lighting, her glasses practically glinted and Annie fought the urge to just run out of the office as fast as she could. It was almost scary how Hanji could go from loud and hyper to deadly quiet in the blink of an eye.

 

"I know you prefer to work alone, which I'm fine with for the most part, but when we get the first wave of recruits I am obliged to have a partner assigned to you for a few weeks. Just until we thin the crowd, I assure you."

 

Annie nodded, biting back her sarcastic comments. She didn't miss the way Hanji's eyes trailed over her form, taking in her stiff posture.

 

"Erwin has pretty much told me that Ackerman is out of the question since they are still trying to repair some of the damage done to the grounds from your last bout. It took a while to narrow down the potential candidates, but I'm fairly certain the two of you will get along just wonderfully."

 

A shiver ran down her spine as Hanji met her gaze.

 

"I am not about to interfere with your training style or how you work together with your partner, I just want you to keep one thing in mind. Injure this one and you'll have to work side by side with me until they recover."

 

If there was anything Hanji could use to keep her in line, it would be this. Annie nodded briefly, acknowledging the comment. She hardly dared to move until Hanji excused her with a bright smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't expect further updates to be this quick, ;)  
> Thanks for the comments/kudos~

A handful of choice curses escaped her mouth as Annie realized just who her partner was going to be. Honestly, she probably should have expected it after the incident in Hanji's office, but she had been too focused on escaping to pay attention to particulars. "Are they so desperate that they dragged you out of the lab, Arlert?"

 

Armin met her gaze with a forced smile. "Well, if you would stop sending people to the infirmary, there might be a few more options."

 

"Just make sure you don't get in my way." Annie studied Armin, trying to ignore the way he took in their surroundings. Though he was definitely handy to have around when you needed a quick strategy, his habit of cataloguing every tiny detail around him had always unnerved her.

 

"You should probably just be happy that Hanji chose me and not Bean."

 

His comment broke the silence as they sized each other up. Annie looked up, confused and found that he was completely serious. The expression on his face said it all and for a moment Annie was forced to silently acknowledge that she kind of admired the fact that he could work so closely with Hanji while remaining so collected. Still trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Bean actually having a hand in training the new recruits, Annie shook her head. "How the hell would that even work?"

 

"It's probably best not to dwell on that." Armin paused, a worried look appearing on his face. "Or the fact that Hanji and Bean are preparing some sort of surprise. I hope Moblit is going to be okay." He trailed off and Annie gave him a questioning look. "Oh, don't mind my rambling. You know how it gets when those two start plotting something."

 

Unfortunately, she did. It was only one of the many reasons Annie had for avoiding the main building. "I don't know how you put up with it." Annie didn't even realize the words had left her mouth until she heard a small laugh from Armin.

 

"It's not that terrible. It certainly keeps things interesting."

 

She had to admit, keeping up with Hanji would at least make a person quick on their feet. He didn't look too terribly out of shape considering the majority of his job involved research. From what she recalled from their last outing together, he had managed well enough, though he was nowhere near her level. She turned to make her way to the training field. They may as well start with something that would help her work out some of her frustration.

 

"Well Arlert, let's see what we have to work with."

 

It would have been a lie to say she didn't enjoy the way he jumped just a bit as she cracked her knuckles and began to grin. Hanji's warning was firmly in her mind, but that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun with this exercise.

 

* * *

* * *

 

Eren and Mikasa had not exactly been thrilled to learn who he was going to be working with, but Armin could hardly blame them. Not when they had arrived shortly before Annie had flipped him over her shoulder. It wasn't the first time it had happened and he doubted it would be the last. Annie was quick on her feet and she always had an eye for spotting someone's weak point. Armin was actually impressed that he had lasted as long as he had. Judging from the look on Annie's face, she hadn't expected him to be able to avoid some of her moves.

 

Armin slowly pulled his shirt off, wincing as his muscles protested the movement. He would definitely be feeling the ache for a few hours. Maybe he had been spending too much time cooped up in the buildings lately.

 

Eren gave him a worried look as Mikasa stepped forward with some linament. "This should help."

 

He smiled, accepting the jar and quickly rubbing the cream against his upper shoulders. "You're a lifesaver, Mikasa."

 

She grabbed the jar when he was finished and sat down next to him. Using a moderate amount of the cream, she began to rub it into his back . "Do you want me to talk with Annie?"

 

"No." Armin's answer was firm as he turned to her, catching Mikasa's slight pout. "You are not allowed to threaten her because she didn't go easy on me. It just means that I'm not quite as fit as I could be." She turned away from his gaze, pressing into a particularly tender spot just a little harder than necessary but Armin didn't comment on it. She had a habit of butting heads with Annie and that never ended well.

 

Eren frowned. "She didn't have to be quite so ruthless." His face brightened a moment later. "But it was a good match. I was especially impressed when you managed to avoid some of her kicks. Even I forget about those from time to time."

 

"Not everyone can keep up with her style." Mikasa's comment was softer, but there was no mistaking the pride in her voice.

 

"I'll be fine guys, really. It's just been a while since I've been matched up with someone who didn't hold back with me." Eren nodded in understanding and Mikasa slowly nodded as well, though Armin could see she was still hesitant.

 

"How about we all train together tomorrow morning? That way you two can help me improve a bit."

 

Mikasa was the first to nod this time, a smile appearing on her face. She hugged Armin tightly and he struggled not to wince as her hands found some of the more sensitive areas that still stung a bit from overexertion. "I know how to deal with her if you change your mind." She could be so stubborn at times but Armin was used to it by now.

 

After ruffling both boys hair, she excused herself and returned to her own room for the night. Armin watched her leave with a fond smile. Once the door clicked shut and he was certain Mikasa was far enough away, he turned to Eren. "You'll try and keep her out of trouble, right?"

 

"I can try, but I can't make any promises." Eren laughed. "You might have better luck trying to bribe Sasha since she's going to be working with her."

 

He noted the subdued tone of his friend's voice. "And who's going to be working with you?"

 

There was a long pause before Eren sighed. "Jean."

 

Biting down his laughter, Armin gave him a sympathetic look. "He's not that bad. You two just tend to get caught up in trying to outdo one another."

 

Eren placed his head in his hands and sighed. "This is going to be a long recruitment session, isn't it?"

 

* * *

* * *

 

"You should just drag him into one of the storerooms and get it out of your system." Ymir took a long drag from her cigarette as she stared at Annie before blowing the smoke directly into her face. "You're uptight as hell and it would do you some good to loosen up."

 

"Is that the only thing you ever have on your mind?" Annie glared as she waved the smoke out of her face.

 

Ymir snorted in response. "You were straddling his body."

 

"I was pinning him to the ground. That tends to happen when you spar with someone." She paused, waiting for Ymir to take a drag from her cigarette. "And your advice would be worth more if you'd actually gotten anywhere with Christa by now." A harsh choke sounded next to her and Annie watched in amusement as Ymir bent over and struggled to correct her breathing.

 

"What do you even know?"

 

Annie fixed Ymir with a pointed gaze. "She's my roommate. If you'd actually done anything beyond talk big, I would have heard far more than I ever wanted to know." She watched Ymir from the corner of her eye, waiting for the perfect moment to continue. The other girl eyed her warily before slowly inhaling the tobacco and Annie smirked. "You might want to drag her into one of the storerooms before she starts taking Reiner seriously."

 

Once Ymir caught her breath she halfheartedly kicked Annie's boot. "Do you really need to do that whenever we're out here?"

 

"Of course. You're the one who always wants to have these deep, meaningful conversations when I'm trying to smoke." Dropping her own cigarette to the ground, Annie carefully crushed it with the toe of her boot. "Maybe you should just pull her hair to get her attention. Then she can take the lead while you're too busy freaking out." She resisted the urge to laugh as she met Ymir's wide eyed stare. "Like I said, she's my roommate. I hear far more about this shit than I want to."

 

"Why... why would you even suggest that?" A panicked look appeared on Ymir's face. "That... just.. why?"

 

Annie didn't even bother to respond to Ymir's rambling as she walked away. Even though Ymir annoyed the hell out of her on the best of days, she did mange to provide some amusement from time to time.


	3. Chapter 3

Training had gone better than expected. Especially once Sasha had appeared and Armin was given a mild break in working with Mikasa. He had been serious about not holding back, but he was also glad that Mikasa was seasoned enough to be aware of her own strength as well as what he was capable of. She would adjust her movements when necessary or offer suggestions as they sparred, even surprising him by throwing in a few of Annie's tricks without warning.

 

Mikasa was skilled in reading her opponent and adjusting herself accordingly, but it never failed to impress Armin to actually see it in action. Once Sasha joined in, he noted that there was almost a playful quality to Mikasa's movements as she worked with the younger girl. Watching her movements reminded Armin of their days in training and he found himself wanting to see watch a few of Mikasa's trainee sessions just to see her go all out.

 

Eren appeared next to Armin, interrupting his musing to holding out a water bottle which he accepted gratefully. Sasha rushed past him a moment later with Mikasa right behind her. Armin could only shake his head as he watched Mikasa dive forward and cut her off. The two were in the midst of a complicated game of tag that possibly only made sense to them. They eventually collapsed in a heap on the field, Sasha's laughter ringing through the area.

 

"Those two have far too much energy." Armin took a long drink of water as he walked around the field with Eren as they focused on cooling down after the training session. Some of his muscles still ached, but it wasn't anywhere near what he had felt the previous night.

 

Eren dabbed at the sweat on his face. "You have no idea."

 

In the middle of the field Mikasa was now practically laying on top of Sasha as the other girl attempted to escape from her grip. Sasha didn't seem to be complaining, but Armin knew from experience that Mikasa was heavier than she looked. And when she set her mind on it, she could become a near unmoveable force.

 

"Are they always like this?" He turned to Eren with an amused look.

 

"Every day." Eren rolled his eyes as Mikasa stood and easily hefted Sasha up into her arms before they proceeded to go through a series of ridiculously complicated movements. "Despite what it looks like, they do manage to work well together." He paused as Mikasa suddenly looped her arm around Sasha and put her into a headlock. "Well... most of the time."

 

Sasha slipped out of Mikasa's hold, jumping up with a flourish before rushing back towards the taller girl in an attempt to knock her off balance. It almost looked as though they were just messing around but Armin could see that they were actually taking one another quite seriously in their own ways. Sasha may lack in pure strength but she certainly had a unique style that allowed her to hold her own when she actually focused. Mikasa, on the other hand, was following Sasha's lead and trying to use unorthodox maneuvers to outwit her. It had been a while since he had seen her so relaxed with someone other than himself and Eren and it was nice to see that she was slowly opening up to some of the others.

 

"I almost feel sorry for the people who get them as instructors." He doubted most of the new recruits would even understand some of their methods.

 

Eren laughed. "Do you think yours will be any better? I can just imagine half of them being intimidated by Annie once they realize what she can do."

 

Armin solemnly raised his water bottle. "I wish them all the best of luck."

 

* * *

* * *

 

"They don't seem too terrible."

 

Annie murmured her agreement, though most of Armin's comments weren't really registering in her mind. The first session has gone well enough. Armin had let her take control for the most part as he made notes every so often, speaking only when necessary. There really wasn't much to do on the first day beyond introductions and answering ridiculous questions but it wasn't like him to be quite this passive. It made her feel somewhat uneasy and she wasn't quite sure how to react.

 

He had definitely improved since the last time they had worked together, even managing to catch her off guard a few times during their sparring match. Annie wasn't used to very many people being so aware of her movements that they could tell exactly what she was planning to do. While she still outclassed him when it came to physical strength and quickness, Armin certainly wasn't a slouch when it mattered. She idly wondered if her style was becoming predictable or if he was just able to read her that well. The last thought frightened her more than she would like to admit.

 

"Annie..."

 

She barely registered Armin's voice as he called her name. A hand was suddenly placed on her shoulder and she was roughly jerked backwards, losing her balance. Stumbling, she fell against Armin's body, tensing when his hand ran along her arm to steady her. A low growl welled up in her throat as she resisted the urge to elbow him as hard as possible. As if sensing her intentions, his words cut her off before she could yell at him.

 

"Sorry about that, but you weren't paying attention." He made no move to back away from her and she nearly jumped as he spoke, the sound of his voice far too close. Blinking, she looked forward, trying to clear her mind and realizing that she had almost walked straight into a wooden pole.

 

"Thanks." Her body unconsciously relaxed against Armin, her mind still a little foggy. Placing a hand against her temple, she let out a soft sigh. If she kept up this train of thought she was likely to drive herself crazy.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

Armin's voice startled Annie for the second time that afternoon and she found herself straightening immediately when she realized that she had been leaning against him this entire time. Brushing her hand through her bangs, she nodded lightly, waving off his concern. "Sorry, it's just been a long afternoon."

 

He nodded in understanding, "If you're sure..."

 

"I'm fine." Annie's words cut him off and she tried to ignore the way his eyes were studying her. She could tell that he didn't quite believe her, but she couldn't blame him after she had almost walked into a random pole moments ago.

 

"If you need anything, I'll be with Hanji."

 

She rose a brow but didn't comment. He offered her one last smile before turning towards the main building and Annie was left with her thoughts once more. Her eyes trailed over his form and she struggled not to think about how comfortable it had felt, resting against him for that short time. Ymir's suggestion echoed in her head but she quickly crushed the thought. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about that.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Hanji scribbled various thoughts on the paper before her, barely aware that someone had entered the room until she looked up to see Armin leaning on her desk. She clapped her hands against his cheeks and grinned. "I'm glad to see you're still in one piece!"

 

"And I'm glad to see the building is still standing."

 

"I have yet to bring an entire building down, I'll have you know." She released Armin from her grip and watched him take a seat across from her desk. Hanji leaned forward expectantly. "So how has it been?"

 

"Well, I tried to let her take the lead, but I get the feeling she didn't really appreciate it."

 

It wasn't really a surprise. Annie had a habit of keeping her guard up and not appreciating any efforts to get on her good side. "She does like to make things difficult."

 

Armin smiled at that. "It wouldn't be Annie otherwise."

 

Hanji nodded in agreement. She knew that Annie and Armin had a tendency to butt heads, but when they actually managed to work together, it delivered amazing results. "She reacts better when you push your boundaries. If you're quiet about your intentions she's just going to lash out and suspect you're planning something."

 

"I suppose that makes sense in theory..." Armin seemed to be mulling it over.

 

Glancing at Armin, she noticed the tense set of his shoulders. "And how are you otherwise? Any injuries?"

 

"Nothing too terrible beyond some muscle aches and a bruise here or there." He paused, before meeting her eyes. "Running after you has kept me in shape for the most part."

 

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

 

"Not at all." Armin glanced around the office, eyes falling on the stack of papers surrounding Hanji. "Has there been anything new and exciting around here while I've been away?"

 

"Moblit has been keeping me busy with paperwork." A frown appeared, but a beat later it was replaced with an excited grin as Hanji stood from her desk. "I almost forgot! We have a new member of our team!" Hanji promptly walked away from her desk and practically bounced as she made her way towards Armin. Grabbing his arm, she quickly lead him out of the office, almost pulling him down the hall in her haste. Stopping in front of one of the many research areas, she opened the door with a flourish. "I want you to meet Sonny!"

 

* * *

 

"Armin's hot."

 

Annie stared at Mina blankly.

 

Mina only giggled. "Come on, Annie. He's definitely easy on the eyes. And he's smart. What more could you want in a partner?"

 

"Mina, don't take this the wrong way, but sometimes I don't know why I talk to you."

 

"Oh, don't be such a grump. He's a total sweetheart and you're over thinking this. Yes, he's got a knack for details and he probably never forgets anything he's ever seen or done but that's a good thing!" Mina wrapped an arm around Annie's waist and leaned against her shoulder with a sigh. "You need to stop focusing so much on training and letting your paranoid side get the better of you."

 

"Easy for you to say."

 

"Why do you even hate him anyway? It's not like he ever did anything to you. That I know of at least." Mina looked at Annie, curiosity shining in her eyes.

 

"I don't hate him necessarily, we just don't always see eye to eye." Mina smiled and Annie had a feeling that she wasn't going to like what was about to come out of her mouth.

 

"Oooh, tension. Is it the fun kind of tension where everything is just charged because he's annoying but hot at the same time?"

 

"Mina, just stop talking. Please."

 

"Annie. Have you even seen him without his shirt? He looks like he's not that built but he just hides it well. Those muscles are actually pretty amazing. I mean he's no Mikasa, but he's definitely got some beautiful abdominal muscles. And those arms. Annie, his arms are amazing."

 

Annie sighed, hiding her face in her arms and trying to drown out the sound of Mina's voice. It was easier said than done since Mina really couldn't be ignored when she was on a roll. Annie did quietly admit that she agreed with Mina about one thing. Armin was definitely more defined than he appeared but she was trying not to think about that.

 

First Ymir had gotten certain ideas stuck in her head and now Mina was making things worse. She had a feeling this was going to be a very long night.

 

* * *

 

It had been two weeks since the new recruits had arrived and most of the instructors had been successful in narrowing down the serious prospects and weeding out the ones who weren't exactly the best fit. Eren's group was done for the afternoon and Mikasa and Sasha's group had finished up not long after. Armin and Annie's group of recruits had been training earlier in the day but the two of them were still lingering on the field, comparing methods and actually managing to be mostly civil with one another.

 

Over these past few weeks, Eren had definitely noticed a change in Armin. He actually seemed to look forward to the training sessions and even Annie wasn't as gruff as she normally was. He wasn't about to call the two of them friends, but he could see that they had at least called a truce of sorts for the moment.

 

Eren watched Mikasa out of the corner of his eye while also trying to focus on Annie and Armin as they worked together. Mikasa was behaving for the moment, though that was most likely due to the presence of Sasha. The younger girl was next to Mikasa, head lying against her shoulder as she softly voiced her thoughts on Annie and Armin's styles.

 

"Armin is doing quite well today." It was the first thing Mikasa had said since they had arrived here. Armin had assured them many times that he would be fine, but Eren thought it would be good to let Mikasa see the two of them with her own two eyes. She had a habit of rushing into things without really thinking it through and the last thing they needed was Mikasa and Annie getting into a fight again. He wasn't really sure what had happened between the two of them to put them on such bad terms with one another but he had a feeling it wasn't something Mikasa was about to explain to him either.

 

Sasha had agreed to help keep Mikasa away from Annie, if possible, and she had done an admirable job of distracting her so far. He wasn't sure how she managed to do it outside of the time they spent with their own recruits, but Eren wasn't about to question her methods when they seemed to be working so well. Their eyes met and Sasha gave him a smile before pointing out something to Mikasa.

 

Once Eren's attention was back on the two sparring, he was surprised to see Armin manage to sidestep Annie's move, grazing her side with his follow through. Armin must have said something unexpected because Annie paused her next attack, leaving herself wide open. He took the chance to knock her off balance but Eren could see the flash of anger in her eyes and cringed as she managed to bring Armin down with her an instant later. The two of them fell in a tangled heap on the ground and he turned to make sure Mikasa wasn't about to rush towards them. Thankfully, Sasha's grip was firm around her arm, keeping her in place.

 

Armin was the first to react, apologizing as he helped Annie up. Her face was flushed as she quietly accepted his hand and stood, brushing the grass from her uniform. She muttered something under her breath and Armin looked a bit guilty.

 

"I think that's enough for today." Annie excused herself in a hurry and Eren watched her walk away from the field, wondering what had happened. Armin was walking towards them but Eren could tell his mind was elsewhere as his eyes trailed after Annie's form, a thoughtful look on his face.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short installment. Sorry about that. All the fun will most likely happen in the next chapter, but I'm still trying to decide how it's all going to go.

"That's the first time I've seen you smile."

 

Armin's simple comment had taken Annie off guard far more than she expected. She knew it wasn't something that he had purposely said to distract her, but Annie was more annoyed by her reaction. And possibly irritated (and a little distracted) by the fact that he had managed to pin her to the ground, though Annie realized that was more her fault than anything after she had kicked out in retaliation. She hadn't exactly been thinking very clearly at the time.

 

While his words had made her hesitate, she couldn't exactly deny them. Somewhere along the past two weeks Annie had begun to let her guard drop just a bit too much around Armin. The training sessions had been quite enjoyable once she stopped trying to dwell on motives and reasoning. Armin had been proving to be a fairly capable partner, quick on his feet despite the difference in their styles and it frustrated her to no end that one little sentence could fluster her this much.

 

As much as she wanted to blame Ymir for even planting the idea in her mind and Mina for constantly talking about Armin's better qualities, Annie knew better. In the past she had always written him off as someone who wasn't worth her time, a weakling who was just following after Mikasa and Eren. Working with him every day had made her notice things she would have otherwise ignored. He had certainly changed since the last time they had worked together, becoming far sharper under Hanji's tutelage.

 

He still had that annoying habit of noticing every insignificant detail, but it was actually helpful when it came to training the recruits. Armin was able to tell exactly where each recruit excelled, partnering them with hardly any difficulty. Annie found herself impressed with his choices, though she had never spoken the words aloud.

 

His voice ran through her mind again and Annie sighed. It wasn't even the words that had bothered her, but the fact that he had been watching her close enough to notice something different. And she honestly did not want to think about what that could mean just yet. She wanted to pin it on his ridiculous habit of cataloging details but the soft tone of his voice had been the first thing to make her hesitate. The actual words hadn't registered until after she had excused herself.

 

She was still trying to calm herself when she heard the unmistakeable sound of two people approaching her. There was a deliberate attempt to make noise and Annie's eyes narrowed as she spotted Mikasa Ackerman.

 

* * *

 

Sasha gripped the side of Mikasa's uniform as she followed her, wishing she could think of something, anything to avoid the confrontation that was about to happen. Though she had managed to keep the two apart for a few weeks, Sasha knew it was futile after what had happened in the training field. It was actually a miracle that she had managed to stall Mikasa as long as she had. The moment Eren was occupied with Armin, Mikasa had quietly walked away, Sasha hurrying after in an attempt to keep things from getting too bloody.

 

While she wasn't aware of the whole story behind Mikasa and Annie's rivalry, she knew enough to realize that Eren and Armin had their reasons for not wanting the two girls to meet. She had heard rumors of clashes and destruction but Sasha had always chalked those up to over exaggeration and gossip.

 

Watching Mikasa's eyes narrow as she spotted Annie, Sasha began to nervously bite her lip. She had seen that look before and it rarely lead to anything good. Peeking around Mikasa, she studied her face before looking at Annie. "Mikasa, you know Eren and Armin aren't going to like this."

 

Mikasa stilled for a moment, pinning her with a serious look. "Who says they even need to find out?"

 

That really didn't go as successfully as she had hoped. Sasha sighed. There were only so many things that could sway Mikasa when she had a goal in mind. And if the mention of her two best friends didn't do the trick, there really wasn't much else to fall back on. "Even if I stay quiet, who's to say Annie will?"

 

The dark chuckle that left Mikasa's mouth sent chills up her spine. "Don't worry. Annie and I have an understanding of sorts."


End file.
